Effects of Various Environmental Conditions on RC Columns Wrapped with FRP Sheets

Abstract

A majority of the existing research studies focus on the effects of individual environmental conditions, such as freeze—thaw cycles and wet—dry cycles, while investigations on the combined effects of various environmental conditions are very rare. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of various environmental conditions on reinforced concrete (RC) columns wrapped with FRP sheets with focus on the combined effects. Two different scales of RC columns wrapped with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) sheets were conditioned under various environmental conditions. Then, uni-axial compression tests were conducted in order to evaluate their strength, stiffness, and ductility. The environmental conditions considered in this study included freeze—thaw cycles, high-temperature cycles, high-humidity cycles, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and saline solution. Based on the test results, design guidelines were suggested, which included equations to determine axial capacity of RC columns wrapped with FRP sheets, and strength reduction factors to account for the effects of environmental conditions considered in this study.